The US State Department has approved Greece’s order of a fleet of surface combatant ships and equipment for its MEKO Class frigates.
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The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced the approval of two separate orders for naval assets from the government of Greece totalling US$9.4 billion ($13.1 billion).
This includes the sale of four Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships, five COMBATSS-21 combat management systems, and other related equipment for approximately US$6.9 billion ($9.6 billion).
A request to purchase equipment and services to repair, update, and enhance Greece’s four existing Hellenic Navy (HN) MEKO Class frigates has also been greenlit for approximately US$2.5 billion ($3.5 billion).
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally, which is an important partner for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the DSCA noted in a statement.
“The proposed sale will improve Greece’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing an effective combatant deterrent capability to protect maritime interests and infrastructure in support of its strategic location on NATO’s southern flank.”
This latest deal comes just over a month after the US State Department confirmed the sale of AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for an estimated US$650 million ($879 million).
As part of the deal, 280 AMRAAM units and 596 LAU-128 Missile Rail Launchers (MRL), developed by Raytheon Technologies, will be delivered to the Arab state.
US government officials and military contractors will also provide engineering, technical and logistical support services.
[Related: US greenlights medium-range missile sale to Saudi Arabia]